An experienced group looking to repeat and a revamped squad eager to grow.
It’s a tale of two squads pushing to move their programs forward with the six-time defending champion Holy Trinity Academy Knights and youthful Foothills Falcons charging into the condensed Foothills Athletic Council senior girls soccer season.
“It’s probably a stronger team than we had last year,” said Knights coach Nathan Len. “Most people being that extra year older, extra year more skilled.”
The Knights boast nine players from the 2022 squad which won the league title and finished fourth as hosts of the zone championships.
Bolstering the ranks is eight newcomers, four in Grade 10 as well as a Grade 11 who transferred to the school and a pair of Grade 12s returning to the sport.
“It’s a great group of girls,” Len said. “You’ve got to try and build a team that can sustain season to season.”
Co-captains Ryanna Leskovjan and Julia Len, who were the co-MVPs of the team, have been key cogs in the early going along with the play of attacking midfielder Sarah Neuls, the coach added.
HTA opened the season with a comfortable victory over the Falcons on Sept. 18.
Two days later, the Knights then downed the Canmore Wolverines 3-0 in a cold, wet match in the picturesque Rockies.
Foothills has opened the season with an 0-2 record, but with an almost entirely new roster it’s not all about results this season for the Falcons.
“We have pretty much an all rookie team,” said Falcons coach Kristina Nutter. “We have one girl returning from last year and I think there’s three that have played soccer before and that’s it.
“It’s a bunch of rookies, but they have a really good attitude and don’t seem to care what the score is, it’s all about team spirit and supporting one another.”
Foothills had a senior-laden roster last season giving the chance for another group to emerge in 2023. Ashley Nutter is the only returner with a pair of Grade 10 leaders emerging in the early going in Neeca Shahipour and Olivia Dafoe, the coach said.
“We’re not expecting any massive wins out of this season,” the coach added. “They’re still willing to learn a new sport and get together. We’ve got a really good group of girls.
“I’ve never coached this age group before so it’s definitely a new experience, but I love teaching those that want to learn something new and learn the basics because I’ve been coaching kids since 2004 when I moved to Okotoks.
“Their motto is to have really good team spirit and to just support each other and the school administration has been really good supporting as well with whatever we need.”
The six-week season continues into mid-October with playoffs to follow.
A host for the South Central Zone competition, typically featuring a pair of teams from Rocky View, has not yet been confirmed.
